The Complete Hazing Guide for Newton County, Texas Families: Holding Fraternities, Sororities & Universities Accountable

If your child calls you from college, their voice trembling, telling you they were forced to do something dangerous or degrading to “earn” their place in a group, your world stops. For families in Newton County, Texas, this nightmare scenario is not hypothetical—it is happening right now at universities across our state and nation.

A student from our region is told their commitment to a fraternity, sorority, Corps of Cadets unit, or spirit group is being tested. They are pressured to consume dangerous amounts of alcohol, endure extreme physical punishment, or suffer humiliating treatment while older members watch, sometimes filming on their phones. No one wants to call for help because they fear getting the chapter shut down or being labeled “weak.” The student feels trapped between loyalty to their new “brothers” or “sisters” and their own safety, health, and dignity.

This comprehensive guide exists for you, the parents and families of Newton County whose children attend Texas colleges and universities. We will demystify what hazing truly looks like in 2025, explain your legal rights under Texas law, and show you how the path to accountability works. Our goal is simple: to give you the knowledge and resources you need to protect your child and demand justice when powerful institutions fail them.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR A HAZING EMERGENCY

If your child is in danger right now:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We provide immediate help—that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.

In the first 48 hours, if a hazing incident has occurred:

• Get medical attention immediately, even if your child insists they are “fine.”
• Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted:
  • Screenshot all group chats, texts, and direct messages (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Instagram, Snapchat).
  • Photograph any injuries from multiple angles, with a ruler or common object for scale.
  • Save any physical items (damaged clothing, receipts for forced purchases, objects used in hazing).
• Write down everything while memory is fresh: who, what, when, where, and any witnesses.
• Do NOT:
  • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or members directly.
  • Sign anything from the university or an insurance company.
  • Post details on public social media.
  • Allow your child to delete messages or “clean up” evidence.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. Evidence disappears quickly; groups will delete chats, destroy paddles, and coach members on what to say. Universities often move swiftly to control the narrative. We can help you preserve evidence, protect your child’s rights, and navigate this crisis. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.

1. The Texas Reality: A Major Hazing Lawsuit is Unfolding Right Now

For families in Newton County, the danger of hazing is not a distant news story. It is a present, active legal battle happening at one of our state’s largest universities. We are currently representing a young man in a case that exemplifies the severe, systemic abuse that can hide behind Greek letters and university pride.

The Leonel Bermudez Case: A $10 Million Lawsuit Against UH and Pi Kappa Phi

In late 2025, we filed a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit on behalf of our client, Leonel Bermudez, against the University of Houston (UH), the Pi Kappa Phi national fraternity headquarters, its local Beta Nu chapter housing corporation, the UH System Board of Regents, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. This case, covered extensively by Click2Houston and ABC13, is the flagship proof that Attorney911 leads serious, high-stakes hazing litigation in Texas.

The Hazing Conduct:
As a fall 2025 pledge, Bermudez was subjected to a regime of control and abuse. He was forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms, a sex toy, and nicotine devices. He endured enforced dress codes, overnight chauffeuring duties, and hours-long “study” blocks. The physical hazing was extreme:

• Forced Consumption & Vomiting: Made to drink milk and eat hot dogs and peppercorns until vomiting, then forced to sprint.
• Simulated Waterboarding: Sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding” and threatened with the real thing.
• Dangerous Workouts: Subjected to bear crawls, wheelbarrow races, and “save-your-brother” drills at locations including the Pi Kappa Phi house, a Culmore Drive residence, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park.
• The Final Breakdown: On November 3, 2025, he was forced through over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. He left unable to stand without help.

The Medical Catastrophe:
Days later, his condition deteriorated. His urine turned brown—a classic sign of muscle breakdown. Rushed to the hospital, he was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis (severe skeletal muscle damage) and acute kidney failure. His creatine kinase (CK) levels were critically high. He was hospitalized for four days and faces an ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage and lasting psychological trauma.

The Institutional Response:
The lawsuit alleges that UH and Pi Kappa Phi leadership knew or should have known about this systemic hazing and failed to act. After the incident, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters suspended the chapter on November 6, 2025. On November 14, chapter members voted to surrender their charter, ceasing operations. UH called the alleged conduct “deeply disturbing” and promised disciplinary action and cooperation with law enforcement.

This case is not an isolated outlier. It is a detailed blueprint of how modern hazing operates: digital control, psychological pressure, physical endangerment, and institutional failure. It is also proof that our firm is actively fighting for victims and families in Texas right now. For Newton County families with children at UH or any Texas campus, this case shows what is possible when you have legal counsel that understands how to investigate and litigate these complex institutional cases.

2. Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like (Beyond the Stereotypes)

Hazing is no longer just about “hell week” paddling in a basement. It is a sophisticated form of coercion that leverages technology, psychology, and secrecy to control new members.

A Modern Definition

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—directed at a student for the purpose of joining, affiliating with, or maintaining status in a group, which endangers the mental or physical health or safety of that student. Crucially, under Texas law, the victim’s “consent” is not a defense.

The Main Categories of Modern Hazing

1. Alcohol & Substance Hazing
The single most common and deadly form. This includes forced “lineup” drinking games, “Big/Little” nights where pledges are given handles of liquor, trivia or “Bible study” games where wrong answers mean drinking, and coerced consumption of drugs or unknown substances.

2. Physical Hazing

• Paddling and Beatings: Still prevalent, especially in certain traditions.
• Extreme Calisthenics: “Smokings” with hundreds of push-ups, wall-sits until collapse, bear crawls, sprints.
• Sleep & Deprivation: Mandatory all-night events, 3 AM wake-up calls, restricting food and water.
• Environmental Endangerment: Locking pledges in freezing or overheated spaces, forced exposure to extreme weather.

3. Sexualized & Humiliating Hazing

• Forced nudity or wearing degrading costumes.
• Simulated sexual acts (“elephant walk,” “roasted pig” positioning).
• Acts involving racist, homophobic, or sexist role-play and slurs.

4. Psychological & Digital Hazing

• 24/7 Digital Control: Mandatory instant responses in GroupMe or WhatsApp chats at all hours; punishment for delayed replies.
• Social Media Humiliation: Forced to post embarrassing TikToks or Instagram stories; public shaming in group chats.
• Geo-Tracking: Required to share live location via Find My Friends or Snapchat Map.
• Verbal Abuse & Isolation: Yelling, threats, cutting off contact with friends and family outside the group.

Where Hazing Happens

While fraternities and sororities are often the focus, hazing is a pervasive cultural problem in many groups Newton County students join:

• Fraternities & Sororities (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, Multicultural Greek Council)
• Corps of Cadets / ROTC / Military-Style Groups
• Athletic Teams (from football and basketball to cheer and swim teams)
• Marching Bands and Performance Groups
• Spirit & Tradition Organizations (like the Texas Cowboys at UT)
• Some Academic, Service, and Cultural Clubs

The common thread is power imbalance, secrecy, and the use of “tradition” to justify abuse. For Newton County parents, understanding this broad scope is critical.

3. Texas Hazing Law & Liability: Your Legal Roadmap

Texas has specific laws designed to combat hazing and protect students. Understanding this framework is the first step toward accountability.

Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F: The Anti-Hazing Statute

The law defines hazing broadly and imposes serious consequences.

• Definition: Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership in a group.
• Criminal Penalties:
  • Class B Misdemeanor: Hazing that does not cause serious injury (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
  • Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes injury requiring medical treatment.
  • State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Organizational Liability: The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be fined up to $10,000 per violation and have its university recognition revoked.
• Consent is NOT a Defense (Sec. 37.155): Even if your child “agreed” to participate, it is still hazing under Texas law.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (Sec. 37.154): Individuals who report hazing or call for help in an emergency in good faith are protected from civil or criminal liability.

Criminal Cases vs. Civil Lawsuits

It is essential to understand the two parallel legal paths.

• Criminal Cases: Brought by the state (District Attorney). Aim is punishment (jail, fines, probation). Charges can include hazing, furnishing alcohol to minors, assault, and in fatal cases, manslaughter.
• Civil Lawsuits: Brought by the victim or their family. Aim is monetary compensation for damages and institutional accountability. These cases focus on negligence, wrongful death, negligent supervision, and premises liability.

A criminal case is not required to file a civil lawsuit. Many families pursue both to achieve full accountability.

Federal Law Overlay

• The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently and maintain public hazing data (phasing in through 2026).
• Title IX: When hazing involves sexual harassment or gender-based hostility, federal Title IX obligations are triggered, creating another avenue for institutional accountability.
• Clery Act: Requires reporting of certain campus crimes; hazing incidents that involve assault or alcohol/drug crimes often overlap with Clery reporting.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Case?

A thorough investigation seeks to identify every responsible party, which may include:

1. Individual Students: Those who planned, executed, or covered up the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: As a legal entity, if it holds assets or insurance.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: For negligent supervision, failure to enforce policies, and having prior knowledge of dangerous patterns.
4. The University or College: For deliberate indifference to a known risk, negligent supervision, or premises liability. Public universities (like UH, Texas A&M, UT) have some sovereign immunity, but exceptions exist for gross negligence.
5. Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, property owners of event venues, or alcohol providers (under dram shop laws).

For Newton County families, this means your case is not limited to suing the individual who handed your child a bottle. We investigate the full chain of responsibility.

4. National Hazing Case Patterns: The Playbook for Accountability

The tragedies that have unfolded on campuses across America are not random. They follow predictable patterns, and the legal outcomes from those cases provide a powerful roadmap for Texas families. Understanding these patterns is key to proving negligence and foreseeability.

The Alcohol Poisoning & Death Pattern

This is the most common fatal hazing script.

• Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017): A bid-acceptance night with extreme forced drinking led to fatal falls. Fraternity brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. The case resulted in dozens of criminal charges, major civil settlements, and Pennsylvania’s “Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.”
• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021): A pledge was forced to drink a near-full bottle of whiskey during a “Big/Little” event and died. Multiple convictions followed. The family reached a $10 million settlement ($7M from Pi Kappa Alpha national, ~$3M from the university).
• Andrew Coffey – Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi (2017): Died from acute alcohol poisoning during a “Big Brother Night.” This led to FSU temporarily suspending all Greek life.
• Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017): Died after a “Bible study” drinking game. Resulted in Louisiana’s felony hazing “Max Gruver Act.”

Takeaway for Texas Families: When a fraternity at UH, Texas A&M, or Baylor uses the same “Big/Little” drinking script, they are repeating a foreseeable and deadly pattern that their national headquarters knows has killed before.

The Physical & Ritualized Hazing Pattern

• Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013): A blindfolded pledge was repeatedly tackled during a “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat, suffering fatal head injuries. The national fraternity was criminally convicted of aggravated assault and involuntary manslaughter and banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years.
• Danny Santulli – Univ. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta (2021): Forced drinking led to permanent, catastrophic brain injury. The family settled with 22 defendants for multi-million-dollar amounts, highlighting the potential for recovery in non-fatal catastrophic injury cases.

The Athletic & Program Hazing Pattern

Hazing extends far beyond Greek life.

• Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Widespread allegations of sexualized and racist hazing led to multiple lawsuits, the firing of the head coach, and confidential settlements, proving even elite, multi-million-dollar athletic programs are not immune.

What This Means for You: These national cases create legal precedents. They show juries and judges that these are not “accidents” but the predictable results of dangerous traditions. They also demonstrate the level of financial recovery ($1M to $14M settlements/verdicts) that is possible when experienced hazing attorneys build a compelling case.

5. The Texas Campus Landscape: Where Newton County Families Send Their Kids

Newton County is located in the heart of East Texas. Families here have deep connections to a network of excellent universities, both nearby regional schools and the major flagship institutions hours away. Your child may attend a local campus or one of the state’s large Greek-life hubs. Hazing is a risk at all of them.

Regional Campuses Serving Newton County Students

Based on our Texas Universities data, students from Newton County commonly attend these nearby institutions, all of which host fraternities, sororities, or other organizations with hazing risks:

• Lamar University (Beaumont, TX – Jefferson County): A comprehensive public university with active Greek life and numerous student organizations.
• Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, TX – Nacogdoches County): A major regional university with a significant Greek system and tradition-heavy campus culture.
• Texas A&M University-Commerce (Commerce, TX – Hunt County): Part of the Texas A&M System, with growing Greek life and campus activities.
• Angelina College (Lufkin, TX – Angelina County): A community college where students may begin involvement in groups that continue at transfer institutions.

The Major Texas Greek-Life Hubs

Additionally, Newton County families proudly send their children to the state’s most prestigious universities, which are also home to the largest and most entrenched Greek systems.

University of Houston (UH) – A Case Study in Real Time

As detailed in Section 1, UH is the site of our active Leonel Bermudez litigation. Beyond this case, UH’s large, urban Greek community has a history of incidents.

• Campus Culture: A mix of commuter and residential students with an active Interfraternity Council (IFC), Panhellenic Council, and Multicultural Greek Council.
• Documented Incident (Example): In 2016, the Pi Kappa Alpha chapter faced misdemeanor hazing charges after a pledge suffered a lacerated spleen during an event. The chapter was suspended.
• For Newton County Families: UH is a major destination. Incidents here are investigated by UHPD and/or Houston Police. Civil suits are filed in Harris County courts.

Texas A&M University – Corps Culture and Greek Life

Texas A&M’s unique Corps of Cadets and powerful Greek system create a high-risk environment for tradition-based abuse.

• Campus Culture: Intensely tradition-focused. The Corps and fraternities both have documented hazing issues.
• Major Documented Cases:
  • Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Lawsuit (~2021): Pledges alleged being doused with industrial-strength cleaner and other substances, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgery. The chapter was suspended, and a lawsuit was filed.
  • Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing, including being bound between beds in a simulated sexual position with an apple in his mouth, seeking over $1 million in damages.
• For Newton County Families: A&M is a premier choice. Cases involve complex interactions between University conduct offices, Corps leadership, and potentially the Brazos County legal system.

University of Texas at Austin – High Transparency, Recurring Problems

UT Austin is notable for its public online database of hazing violations, providing a clear window into recurring issues.

• Campus Culture: A massive Greek system alongside powerful spirit groups like the Texas Cowboys.
• Public Hazing Violations (From UT’s Website):
  • Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): Sanctioned for forcing new members to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics.
  • Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) – Ongoing Issues: The UT chapter has faced repeated suspensions and lawsuits, including a 2024 assault allegation from an international student.
• For Newton County Families: UT’s public log is a powerful tool. Prior violations listed there are admissible evidence to show a pattern of known misconduct, strengthening a civil case.

Southern Methodist University (SMU) & Baylor University – Private School Pressures

These private, affluent campuses have strong Greek identities and their own hazing histories.

• SMU’s Kappa Alpha Order (2017): Chapter suspended after reports of paddling, forced drinking, and sleep deprivation.
• Baylor Baseball (2020): 14 players suspended following a hazing investigation.

The Common Thread for All Campuses: Whether public or private, large or small, universities often prioritize controlling the narrative and protecting their reputation. Their internal disciplinary processes are not a substitute for an independent civil investigation aimed at full compensation and accountability for your family.

6. The Greek Ecosystem: National Brands with Local Chapters in Texas

The fraternity or sorority your child is rushing is not just a local club. It is almost always part of a national brand with a headquarters, insurance policies, a risk management manual, and—critically—a history of hazing incidents across the country. This national history is a cornerstone of liability.

Why the National Organization Matters

National headquarters collect dues, set policies, and grant charters. When a local chapter repeats the same dangerous “tradition” that has caused death or injury at another chapter, it proves the national knew the risk (foreseeability) and failed to adequately prevent it (negligent supervision).

The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: Mapping the System

At Attorney911, we don’t start from scratch. We maintain a proprietary data engine built from public records to track the Greek organizational landscape in Texas. This allows us to immediately identify all potentially liable entities behind a local chapter. For example, our IRS B83 and Cause IQ data reveals the network behind Greek life in the Beaumont-Port Arthur metro area, relevant to Newton County families with students at Lamar University:

Sample Public Records of Greek Organizations in the Region (From IRS B83/Cause IQ Data):

• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – Epsilon Kappa Alumni (Alumni association, Lamar Univ.) – Beaumont, TX
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – Lambda Lambda Chapter (Undergrad chapter at Lamar Univ.) – Beaumont, TX
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – Mu Epsilon Chapter (Undergrad chapter, Lamar Univ.) – Beaumont, TX
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – Beaumont Alumni (Graduate chapter) – Beaumont, TX
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – Lamar Univ. (Academic honor society) – Beaumont, TX

This is just a fraction of the over 1,423 Greek-related organizations we track across 25 Texas metros. When your child is hazed, we already know how to find the housing corporations, alumni associations, and national entities that may share liability.

National Histories of Major Fraternities Present on Texas Campuses

Here’s how the national pattern connects to your child’s campus:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ – “Pike”): National Pattern: Stone Foltz death (BGSU, $10M settlement). Texas Presence: Chapters at UH, Texas A&M, UT, SMU, Baylor, many others. Link: The same “Big/Little” alcohol hazing that killed Foltz is a foreseeable risk at every Pike chapter.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ – “SAE”): National Pattern: Multiple deaths (Carson Starkey – Cal Poly); traumatic brain injury lawsuit (Univ. of Alabama). Texas Presence: Chapters at UH, Texas A&M, UT, SMU, Baylor. Link: SAE’s national history of alcohol hazing and violence directly informs litigation against their Texas chapters.
• Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ): National Pattern: Andrew Coffey death (FSU). Texas Presence: Chapter at UH (now closed from Bermudez case), others statewide. Link: Our active UH lawsuit is a direct engagement with this national organization’s hazing problem.
• Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ): National Pattern: Max Gruver death (LSU, led to felony law). Texas Presence: Chapters at UH, Texas A&M, UT, others.
• Kappa Sigma (ΚΣ): National Pattern: Chad Meredith drowning death (Univ. of Miami, $12.6M verdict). Texas Presence: Widespread across all major Texas campuses.

This “pattern evidence” is devastating in court. It shows the national organization was on notice. Their boilerplate anti-hazing policy is revealed as ineffective window-dressing when the same tragedies recur.

7. Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

Pursuing a hazing case requires a meticulous, strategic approach. It is a battle against institutions with deep pockets and experienced defense lawyers. Here is how we build a winning case for Newton County families.

Step 1: Immediate Evidence Preservation & Investigation

Evidence disappears within days. Our first step is to secure it.

• Digital Forensics: Recovering deleted GroupMe, WhatsApp, and text messages. Analyzing social media posts, DMs, and geolocation data.
• Internal Documents: Subpoenaing chapter “pledge books,” meeting minutes, emails between members and national advisors.
• University Records: Using public records requests and discovery to obtain prior conduct reports on the organization, Clery Act logs, and internal investigation files.
• Witness Interviews: Securing statements from other pledges, former members, roommates, and bystanders before stories are aligned by the defense.
• Physical Evidence: Preserving clothing, paddles, alcohol bottles, or other objects used.

Step 2: Identifying All Liable Parties

Using our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, we map the entire organizational structure:

1. Individual perpetrators.
2. Local chapter officers and advisors.
3. Chapter housing corporation (a separate legal entity with its own EIN, like those listed in our public records).
4. National fraternity/sorority headquarters.
5. University or college.
6. Property owners and landlords of off-campus hazing venues.

Step 3: Overcoming Standard Defenses

We anticipate and dismantle the standard playbook:

• Defense: “The Victim Consented.” Our Response: Texas law (§37.155) states consent is no defense. We argue coercion from peer pressure and power imbalance.
• Defense: “It Was a Rogue Chapter; National Didn’t Know.” Our Response: We introduce national pattern evidence and prior incidents to prove foreseeability and negligent supervision.
• Defense: “It Happened Off-Campus, Not Our Responsibility.” Our Response: We establish the university’s and national’s control over the organization and members, regardless of location.
• Defense: “Insurance Doesn’t Cover Intentional Acts like Hazing.” Our Response: We argue the negligence of supervision and failure to prevent known risks is covered, and we pursue all available insurance policies.

Step 4: Calculating Damages

We work with economists, life-care planners, and medical experts to fully value the harm done, which can include:

• Economic Damages:
  • All past and future medical expenses (ER, hospitalization, surgery, therapy, medications).
  • Lost wages and diminished future earning capacity (especially in catastrophic injury cases).
  • Educational costs (lost tuition, delayed graduation).
• Non-Economic Damages:
  • Physical pain and suffering.
  • Severe emotional distress, PTSD, anxiety, depression.
  • Loss of enjoyment of life.
  • Humiliation and reputational harm.
• Wrongful Death Damages (for families):
  • Funeral and burial costs.
  • Loss of financial support, companionship, love, and guidance.
  • Emotional suffering of the family.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of extreme recklessness or cover-ups, we seek additional damages to punish the defendants and deter future conduct.

8. Practical Guides for Newton County Parents, Students & Witnesses

For Parents: A Step-by-Step Action Plan

1. Recognize the Signs: Unexplained injuries, extreme fatigue, sudden secrecy, personality changes (anxiety, withdrawal), plummeting grades, constant phone anxiety.
2. Talk to Your Child: Use open-ended questions. “How are things with the fraternity/sorority? Is anything making you uncomfortable?” Listen without judgment.
3. In a Crisis: Get medical care first. Then document everything (screenshot, photograph, write down details).
4. Report Strategically: You can report to campus police and the Dean of Students, but understand their goal may be institutional risk management, not your family’s justice.
5. Consult a Lawyer EARLY: Before evidence is lost, before your child is pressured by the group, before the university settles for a token amount. Call 1-888-ATTY-911.

For Students: Is This Hazing? What Can I Do?

• The Test: Are you being pressured? Is it dangerous or degrading? Would you do it if you had a real, pressure-free choice? If yes, it’s likely hazing.
• Your Safety First: If in immediate danger, call 911. Texas has “good faith” reporter protections for those seeking help in an emergency.
• Preserve Evidence: Screenshot chats. Take photos of injuries. Save everything. Do not delete anything out of shame.
• How to Exit: You have the legal right to quit. Send a clear email/text: “I resign my membership effective immediately.” Tell a trusted adult outside the group first. Do not attend a “final meeting.”
• Seek Support: Talk to a counselor (university counseling centers are confidential). You are not alone.

For Witnesses or Former Members:

If you participated and now regret it, or if you saw something, you can help prevent further harm. Your testimony may be crucial. You may need your own legal counsel to navigate your role. We can advise on cooperation and protecting your rights.

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Case

1. Deleting Evidence: This looks like a cover-up and destroys your claim.
2. Confronting the Group Directly: This triggers their defense strategy and evidence destruction.
3. Signing University Paperwork Blindly: Universities may offer a quick “internal resolution” that waives your right to sue.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense lawyers will scour your posts for inconsistencies.
5. Waiting Too Long: Evidence vanishes, witnesses graduate, memories fade, and the statute of limitations runs out.

9. Why Attorney911 is the Texas Hazing Law Firm for Newton County Families

When your family faces the trauma of hazing, you need more than a generic personal injury lawyer. You need a firm with the specific experience, resources, and determination to take on powerful universities and national fraternities.

Our Unique Qualifications for Hazing Litigation

1. Active, High-Stakes Texas Hazing Litigation: Right now, we are leading the Leonel Bermudez vs. UH & Pi Kappa Phi $10 million lawsuit. We are not theorists; we are frontline litigators in the most serious type of campus abuse case.
2. Insider Insurance Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as an insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers undervalue claims, deny coverage, and employ delay tactics. We know their playbook because we used to run it.
3. Proven Experience Against Billion-Dollar Defendants: Managing partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by the deep pockets or aggressive defense teams of national fraternities and major universities.
4. Data-Driven Investigation: We employ the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—using real public records data to map the organizational entities behind every chapter. We don’t start from zero.
5. Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal side of hazing charges, allowing us to effectively advise clients navigating parallel proceedings.
6. Full-Service Catastrophic Injury Firm: We have a proven record of multi-million-dollar recoveries in wrongful death and severe injury cases. We know how to work with economists and life-care planners to value lifelong damages.
7. Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish, ensuring we can serve all Texas families with comfort and clarity.

Our Commitment to Newton County

We are a Texas-based firm serving families across the state. We understand the values and concerns of communities like Newton County. When hazing disrupts your family’s life, we see it as a profound breach of trust—not just by individual students, but by the institutions that failed in their duty to protect your child.

We fight for three things: compensation for your family’s devastating losses, accountability for every responsible party, and reform to prevent this from happening to another family.

If Hazing Has Impacted Your Family, Call Us Today

You do not have to navigate this crisis alone. The university’s process is not designed for your family’s justice. The fraternity’s lawyers are not on your side.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) for a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation.

We will listen to your story with compassion, review any evidence you have, and explain all your legal options clearly and honestly. We work on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we win your case.

Call the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ Now: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com | For Spanish: lupe@atty911.com

We serve families in Newton County, across East Texas, and throughout the state. Let us help you find the path forward.

Legal Disclaimer

This article is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC.

Hazing laws, university policies, and legal precedents can change. The information in this guide is current as of late 2025 but may not reflect the most recent developments. Every hazing case is unique, and outcomes depend on the specific facts, evidence, applicable law, and many other factors.

If you or your child has been affected by hazing, we strongly encourage you to consult with a qualified Texas attorney who can review your specific situation, explain your legal rights, and advise you on the best course of action for your family.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911
Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com